Brother, mine
by FredMischiefmanagedGeorge
Summary: The truth is what can open another's eyes in order to spare them any lies. The truth is hard, and painful. Just like jealousy. What are two brothers to do when they happen to secretly be jealous of the other? One-shot! Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition-Round 12


**A.N I loved writing this, my favorite next gens!**

**Team: Tutshill Tornadoes**

**Position: Captain**

**Round: 12**

**Writing about: Snow White**

**Title: Brother, mine**

**Words: 1450**

**For those of you innocent people who stumble upon this one-shot and are unaware of my speaking of Quidditch, teams and nonsense, it is alright! This is for a sort of contest on a forum and nothing that you aren't allowed to read, so enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Characters and all other recognizable written words such as 'incendio' belong to J.K Rowling.**

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><p>James felt both horrible, and sick.<p>

Not a cold, nor a fever. No, James felt sick with jealousy.

Wizards, and witches alike would have asked aloud,

"Why would he be so jealous? What with his family, and all."

Yet that was it. James was jealous of Albus, who looked exactly like his father. He wished people would flock to him like they did his brother. James felt slightly perturbed by the fact he wished he was his younger brother. He did not think he was so insecure as to wish he was someone else.

Now, James knew he was the complete opposite of his brother. Albus had inky black hair, and emerald green eyes, while James had a dark brown red-tinged hair colour with hazel eyes. James didn't look like the copy of their parents, but Albus did. Albus was bookish, while James focused more on pranking.

James didn't care about what others thought of his actions, or words. Yet Albus was careful with what he said, so as not to hurt the people around him. James threw himself out there, soaking in as much attention as he could. Albus, though, cowered away from the spotlight, hating how he would be looked at like an animal in a muggle zoo.

Albus was the _perfect_ Potter. James was more of a Weasley, if anything. Not that it was bad, but James wanted to present the word Potter. He wanted to _be_ the definition of Potter.

It was one afternoon while James was on the ground of the magical school Hogwarts, did he hear a rush of footsteps nearby. James sat up slowly, glancing around.

To his surprise, James spotted his younger brother, Albus rushing down the grounds towards the lake. The thing that surprised James, was that Albus was alone. It was a rare case, and James couldn't help but walk after his brother to see what was up.

Albus was rarely ever alone, for the simple fact that he was good friends with nearly everyone. Students alike were drawn to talk to him, and Albus didn't mind too much. However, he would always have Rose, or Scorpius by his side.

James finally reached the lake, and spotted his brother sitting on a dock, staring out at the water. James silently stood behind Albus.

"So, what's got you in a-" James began, but stopped when Albus looked up at him. "You alright?"

Albus held a face of one who was dejected, and upset. James frowned at his younger brother.

"Do I look alright?" Albus asked.

"Well, to be honest no-"

Albus let out a hollow chuckle.

"That's you." he said, bitterly. "Always being blunt and not caring about the consequences."

James was perplexed. Why was his brother directing his anger towards him?

"Er, Al?" he frowned. "What did I do, then?"

Albus let out a sigh as he looked back out at the water.

"You were being you." Albus said. "Just being yourself."

"How did being myself affect you in any way?" James asked, annoyed.

Who was his brother to go around and get mad at him for no reason at all? It wasn't fair. In that moment, James knew something was off more than before. Albus had always been fair. He never blamed another for anything, and was quite rational.

"What's bothering you?" James questioned.

Albus simply shook his head, refusing to tell James the answer.

"Al, I'll sit here all night if I have to, and I don't mind breaking curfew as you know. I'll even dig out a bottle of veritaserum."

Albus let out a long sigh.

"Promise not to laugh, tease me, or spread it around?" he asked.

"To keep it between us?" James inquired.

His younger brother gave him a nod in response.

"We aren't going to do an unbreakable vow, right?" James joked. "I do value my life, you know."

He was met with an emerald-eyed glare.

"Sure, Al." James promised. "It'll stay between us."

Satisfied with his older brother's answer, Albus took in a breath before telling his brother what was bothering him. What Albus said was very surprising to James, and nearly sent him falling back into the water.

"I'm jealous of you." Albus admitted.

"What?" James laughed in disbelief. "Really? You aren't pulling my leg?"

Albus sent him an odd look.

"Why would I be?"

"It's-" James paused, stopping himself. "It's nothing, nevermind."

SIlence broke out between them, before James asked his younger brother a question that struck him.

"Why are you jealous of me, Al?"

There was a beat before Albus replied.

"Because of Meg!" he cried out.

James stared at him, unknowing as to what Albus was talking about.

"Meg." Albus repeated. "Megan Wood."

"Oh!" James exclaimed in recognition. "Alexander Wood's younger sister. What's that got to do with me?"

"She fancies you, you tosser!" Albus snarled.

James' face was blank.

"Really? I always thought she was just really shy." James muttered. "You sure she's not just shy?"

"Yes, git." Albus said angrily. "I'm quite sure, especially since she said it to my face."

"Isn't a person you fancy usually personal to girls?" James asked, aloud. "Why would she tell you-"

Albus looked away, and down at the water.

"Oh." James paused. "_Oh_! You fancy her, don't you?"

"Went up and bleedin' asked her out, didn't I?" Albus muttered quietly. "Told me she fancied you instead."

James felt awkward where he stood. He walked forwards and patted Albus on the shoulder. What did you say to your younger brother who fancied a girl, who fancied you, whom you never knew fancied you, but didn't feel any fancying back to at all?

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I don't fancy her." James said.

"I'm quite sure I could tell that by your reaction." Albus retorted.

James shrugged. Albus didn't look like he was feeling any better about the predicament at all. So, James decided to offer up something he hoped he wouldn't regret.

"Why don't we get a bat, and a bludger. You can take a few shots."

"James…" started Albus, steadily.

"You blame me, don't you?" James asked. "You'll feel better, I promise."

Albus' elder brother then offered him a hand, which he took. When Albus stood up, James clapped his hands together.

"Right...you better not kill me."

oOo

_Twenty-seven bludgers, and a run to the hospital wing later…._

oOo

"Ow."

"If you could just keep still!" Victoire exclaimed. "Honestly, James! Were you trying to off yourself?"

"No, he was trying to make me feel better." Albus said.

VIctoire gave him an odd look.

"You know what? I'm just going to stop trying to even understand you two."

Both James and Albus shrugged at each other as Victoire turned away, having finished what she had done. The two brothers finally began to speak to each other once their older cousin had left.

"So Ally-"

"Don't call me that." Albus scowled.

"So Al, how do you feel?" James asked.

"You know, I actually feel...better."

"You see, some people just take such pride in my pain."

"Like mum." Albus smirked.

James grimaced as he was reminded of a painful memory, before nodding.

"Like mum."

Once again silence spread the area. Albus stood up, intending on leaving.

"Well, I'll see you-"

"Albus, wait." James coughed dramatically. "Come closer, my boy."

Albus just stared at him, both annoyance and amusement upon his face.

"What, James?"

"Come closer!" James gasped.

Albus cautiously walked closer, quite afraid his brother was trying to prank him. It wasn't that wrong of him to think so, as James had played quite a few on a younger Albus before Hogwarts.

"Now sit." James instructed.

Albus reluctantly sat down.

"What is it James?" Albus asked, now fully annoyed.

"Okay, I want you to promise me something." James commanded. "To not laugh, tease me, or spread around what I'm about to say. It could ruin my reputation."

Albus rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I promise."

James swallowed, he was going to tell Albus the truth. He was going to spare Albus in thinking he was alone in his jealousy.

"I'm jealous of you, Al." James said softly.

The way how James had reacted to what Albus had told him before was being replayed before his own eyes. Albus nearly fell out of his chair, in disbelief.

"You aren't pulling my leg are you?"

James laughed, shaking his head.

Maybe they weren't so different after all.

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><p><strong>A.N OOH *squeals* I just love Albus and James. Writing out their brotherly affection made this the most fun out of my other QLFC fics. Anyway, hope you liked it as much as I did!<strong>

**This was going to go on longer for this idea. From the main prompt, I was going to write something way closer to the story line with a jealous Ron instead. Then it was going to be about Albus being jealous of his older brother, but that one-shot just didn't seem to want to go anywhere. So, I switched it around, and it felt a lot better.**

**There were actually quite a few snow white references in here. Some the moral, some the words, some the characters. I'll give you my main examples: **

**"Albus had always been fair" is in reference to the 'fairest one of all' from the Disney movie. Apparently in the story it was 'the ****loveliest one of all'. However, referencing that with two guys would cause an uproar, and them to be angry with me for taking away their manliness.**

**"He was going to spare Albus in-Blah-Blah-Stuff-Words-ETC." is the reference to the Huntsman who spared Snow White. It's weird, saying Albus is Snow White. I'm imagining him in a tiara right now :P**

**James basically being jealous. Man, that's the moral of Snow White, correct? Don't be jealous or bad things will happen. Yea, James was a little jar of jelly. So was Al, for that matter.**

**So in conclusion, James is both the step-mother AND the huntsman, while Albus is Snow White.**

**As my fellow peers would say 'Sounds legit.'**

**Cheers!**

**Lupey**


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